Vernon Adams took the final math test he needs to complete his transfer from Eastern Washington University to Oregon at 12:30 this afternoon. He said he would head straight to practice if he passed.
There was no sign of Adams at the Ducks football complex.
“I’m working with the (quarterbacks) I have on the field right now,” offensive coordinator Scott Frost said. “We’d love to have one more, but that’s kind of out of our hands.”
If Adams doesn’t pass his class, Eastern Washington won’t be taking him back, his former head coach Beau Baldwin said. Oregon would then roll with Jeff Lockie, who has been getting the bulk of the work behind center at quarterback.
“Jeff’s done a good job so far in camp,” Frost said. “He’s just the most comfortable in there, and he’s taken the most reps.”
Lockie threw his first interception during practice, but generally has done well to take care of the football.
“It was an ugly one,” Frost said. “We laughed about it afterwards.”
Frost said Oregon typically gives more reps to back-up quarterbacks than other schools do, and he likes what he’s seen in the four quarterbacks behind Lockie on the depth chart.
“All the quarterbacks have improved from spring,” Frost said. “We’re a long way from having to decide who of those guys are playing, but I’m definitely impressed with their progression.”
Offensive lineman Matt Hegarty, a fifth-year transfer from Notre Dame, has also been picking the offense up quickly.
“He’s seen all the looks,” Frost said. “He just needs to know our adjustments to them and our terminology.”
As for the rest of the offensive line, Frost is trying to get the less experienced linemen as many looks as possible.
“We throw them in the deep end right when they get here,” Frost said. “Some of them are struggling to stay afloat, but you can see some talent with all of them.”
Sophomore running back Royce Freeman said he’s comfortable taking on an increased workload, given the absence of Thomas Tyner due to an unforeseen shoulder surgery. He’s trying to pay more attention to detail in his second year.
“There are a lot of areas I feel I still need to work on,” Freeman said. “I just have to not get complacent. If I get complacent then I’m not going to go anywhere.”
Freeman said if Adams does land a spot on the roster, learning the offense shouldn’t be too difficult. His advice: “Be yourself.”
Wide receiver Bralon Addison’s advice to Adams would be to “let it fly.”
“With the player he is and the players we have, the timing will come,” Addison said. “The biggest thing for him learning the offense is getting speed and repetition down. Initially he might be timid and shy, and that might hold him back.”
Based on their unofficial workouts together, Addison said he does think Adams would fit in well with the offense.
“He has what all the other guys have,” Addison said. “He’s football-smart, he picks things up fast as far as football terminology, he’s got a big, strong arm, and he’s accurate.”
Addison pointed out that Ohio State has three starter-caliber quarterbacks, and it never hurts to have too many.
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